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Weather and Your Health Quiz

How Does the Weather Affect Your Health?

We talk about the weather when we don't have much else to chat about: "Nice day, isn't it?" "Aren't you sick of this rain?" The weather has more to do with your health than you might realize. Learn more about the weather and you by taking this quiz.

1. People who suffer from a “bum knee” often say they can tell when rain is coming. This is because they may have which of these common health conditions?

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Although weather doesn’t cause arthritis, many people who suffer from either rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis report an increase in pain in their joints with changes in barometric (air) pressure or other weather phenomena.

A. GoutB. AsthmaC. ArthritisD. Diabetes

2. Cold weather may cause which of these conditions in people with coronary heart disease?

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People with coronary heart disease are more likely to experience angina – or heart attack – in cold weather than other people.

A. Angina pectorisB. Heart failureC. ArrhythmiaD. High blood pressure

3. The sun produces both ultraviolet A (UVA) and B (UVB) rays. Which of these sources of radiation is responsible for causing skin cancer?

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According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, UVA damages cells in the deeper, basal layer of the skin. UVB rays cause sunburn and damage to the outer layers of skin; they are thought to cause the most skin cancers. Protect your skin from UV damage by wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher that protects against both UVA and UVB radiation, donning protective clothing, and avoiding direct sunlight between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Keep in mind that even on overcast days, up to 80 percent of UV radiation still makes it through the cloud cover. UV radiation is also intensified when it’s reflected off water, sand, or snow, so take extra precaution on the beach and on ski slopes.

A. UVBB. UVAC. BothD. Neither

4. Seasonal hay fever, or allergic rhinitis, is a common cause of allergy symptoms. What brings on nonallergic rhinitis?

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Unlike allergic rhinitis, which is triggered by the body’s natural defense against allergens, the cause of nonallergic rhinitis isn’t known. Eating, drinking alcohol, exercising, and being in the cold are the most common triggers of nonallergic, or vasomotor, rhinitis. Regardless of the specific cause, the symptoms are the same: runny nose, stuffy nose, postnasal drip, and sneezing.

5. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke happens when your body overheats during exercise or exposure to hot or humid conditions. Some common medications can increase your chances of getting these conditions. Those include:

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Certain medications can affect the way your body reacts to heat, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. These include medications like allergy drugs that increase your heart rate and blood pressure drugs that contain a diuretic or affect how the heart and blood vessels function. If you take any of these medications, talk with your doctor about how to stay cool on hot summer days.

A. Diet pillsB. Some types of blood pressure medicationC. Some types of allergy relief medicationD. All of the above

6. Which of these weather phenomena may also trigger an asthma attack?

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According to the CDC, thunderstorms, high humidity, and breathing in cold, dry air all can trigger asthma attacks. The cold in “snow” conditions could be a trigger as well.